Posts Tagged ‘Hendy Avenue Consulting’
A CASE STUDY FOR LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIP: URBAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL
BUILDING CAPACITY FOR SUSTAINABLE INSTRUCTIONAL EXCELLENCE
ABOUT URBAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL
Urban Community School (UCS), founded in Cleveland in 1968, strives to break social and economic barriers to success for Cleveland’s near west side children by providing an individualized, innovative, and challenging education. The school has served as an anchor of the community, serving a diverse student population from ages 6 weeks to 8th grade. Learn more about UCS by visiting their website: https://urbancommunityschool.org/.
THE OPPORTUNITY
In March 2021, Urban Community School (UCS) approached Hendy Avenue Consulting with an ambitious goal: identify strategies that would attract and retain excellent teachers while also building pathways for teaching assistants to grow into teacher roles. Through diagnostic work – analyzing UCS data, benchmarking neighboring schools, and engaging leaders and teachers in conversation – Hendy and UCS leaders recognized an even more fundamental opportunity. Before building talent systems focused around instructional excellence, UCS needed to more explicitly define what excellent instruction looked like in their context, build the leadership capacity to coach toward it, and create the systems to support and sustain it.
UCS leaders leaned into this reframe. Rather than implement a set of talent initiatives that might reward less defined expectations, UCS chose to invest in building the instructional foundation first. This decision – and their openness to letting the work evolve based on what they were learning – marked the beginning of a four-year partnership with Hendy that has fundamentally impacted the instructional core of the school.
THE HENDY VALUE PROPOSITION: PARTNERSHIP THAT BUILDS CAPACITY
Schools and school systems partner with Hendy Avenue when they have ambitious instructional goals and want to build the internal capacity to achieve and sustain them. Hendy’s approach is distinctive in several ways:
We start with what’s true. Hendy doesn’t deliver predetermined solutions. Instead, we partner with leaders to understand current reality, name what’s working and what needs to shift, and design strategies that fit the school’s specific context, culture, and capacity.
We build toward independence, not dependence. Every engagement includes an explicit strategy for transferring ownership. Hendy decides what to do “for,” “with,” and “through” client leaders based on current capacity, always with the goal of ensuring school sustainability of change with fewer support directly coming from Hendy over time.
We see the whole organization. While Hendy often starts a relationship with a specific project, we develop deep knowledge of the school’s systems, culture, and people. This allows us to spot connections, anticipate challenges, and support adjacent needs as they emerge.
We commit to the long game. Sustainable instructional improvement takes time. Hendy stays with schools through implementation challenges, leadership transitions, and the inevitable ups and downs of organizational change.
We balance push and support. Hendy brings high expectations alongside genuine partnership. We celebrate victories, share struggles, and maintain relationships where honest feedback and hard conversations happen with care and trust.
The UCS partnership demonstrates each of these principles in action.
THE PARTNERSHIP ARC: FROM “HENDY LEADS” TO “UCS SUSTAINS”
Over four years, the partnership moved through distinct phases, with Hendy intentionally shifting from a more direct role in carrying out the work to supporting UCS leaders as they took ownership, ultimately positioning them to sustain systems independently.
Phase 1: Building the Foundation (2021-2022)
In spring 2022, Hendy conducted a comprehensive diagnostic visit to understand UCS’s current instructional practices and to support the UCS team to identify priorities. With UCS leaders, the full Hendy team spent two days on campus observing classrooms, meeting with teachers and staff, and examining existing systems. This diagnostic revealed that while UCS leaders and staff had strong relationships and a commitment to students, there was room to align on common instructional language, shared schedules, and structures for observation and feedback.
Rather than just name the gaps, Hendy helped UCS leaders envision what was possible. They facilitated visits to high-performing schools in New York City with similar student demographics, allowing UCS leaders to see excellent instruction in action, and to envision what’s possible for kids. Then Hendy facilitated summer planning retreats where the team established clear instructional priorities and began building the systems to support them.
During this foundation-building phase, Hendy did significant direct work with UCS leaders: creating professional development materials, co-observing classrooms with leaders, and building frameworks and tools. This intensive support gave UCS leaders concrete examples of what excellent systems looked like and how to implement them.
Phase 2: Gradual Release (2022-2024)
As UCS added leadership capacity – hiring additional directors, creating a Chief Academic Officer role, and expanding the instructional team – Hendy began the intentional work of building up the capacity of UCS to lead more of the work directly. The focus shifted to working “through directors,” coaching leaders to implement and adapt the systems Hendy had modeled.
When UCS decided to adopt a new ELA curriculum in 2023-24, the school took a teacher-driven approach to the process. Hendy focused on building UCS leaders’ capacity to train and support their teachers through implementation of the curriculum. Hendy designed intellectual preparation structures and coached directors to lead those meetings effectively. The team built data collection and analysis systems, then gradually transferred ownership to UCS’s own data coordinator.
The work became increasingly collaborative. Hendy would model a practice, then co-facilitate with UCS leaders, then observe and provide feedback as leaders facilitated independently. This gradual release approach ensured UCS leaders gained both skill and confidence.
Phase 3: Sustaining Independence (2025-Present)
By the 2025-26 school year, UCS was driving their own teacher development and coaching with increasing independence. Directors lead intellectual preparation and observation cycles. The instructional leadership team uses shared language and structures. Teachers follow common schedules and assessment rhythms. A tier 2 intervention system identifies and supports students who need additional support.
Hendy’s role has evolved to strategic thought partnership: troubleshooting implementation challenges, analyzing data for patterns and insights, coaching directors, and coaching the CAO to manage and support director development. The relationship remains strong, but UCS leaders are in the driver’s seat.
RESPONSIVE PARTNERSHIP: EVOLVING AS NEEDS EMERGE
While instructional improvement formed the core of the work, the partnership repeatedly expanded when UCS identified adjacent needs – demonstrating Hendy’s responsiveness and ability to see and serve the whole organization.
Strategic Planning Support
When UCS’s Board of Directors engaged in strategic planning in 2024, UCS hired Hendy on a separate contract to support the academic team with their pillar of the strategic plan. This work allowed Hendy to help UCS document the significant instructional improvements the school had made and set clear, ambitious priorities for future growth – work that required both knowledge of where UCS had been and vision for where they could go.
Whole-Organization Partnership
Over time, leaders across UCS came to see Hendy as thought partners for challenges beyond the formal engagement scope. The Chief Operating Officer calls to problem-solve. The Chief Strategy Officer engaged Hendy to explore innovative school models and refine the school’s aftercare program. This reflects the trust that has developed – a belief that Hendy understands their organization deeply and has their best interests at heart.
THE RESULTS: SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS AND MEASURABLE GROWTH
Four years into the partnership, the transformation is visible in both data and daily practice.
Student Achievement: UCS has seen consistent growth in student achievement, particularly in ELA following the curriculum adoption and implementation support. Students are meeting grade-level benchmarks at higher rates than in previous years.
Instructional Culture: Teachers have embraced the observation and feedback cycle. Instructional time is protected and used purposefully. Common schedules and assessment rhythms allow for meaningful collaboration across grade levels and departments.
Leadership Capacity: UCS has grown from three directors to a full instructional leadership team with clear, complementary roles and shared practices. Leaders are high capacity and have had a measurable impact on teaching and learning in their building. The systems are self-sustaining and improving.
Organizational Systems: UCS now has defined, systematic tier 1 and tier 2 academic intervention systems, data collection and analysis protocols, role clarity across all adult positions, and structures that ensure adults are strategically leveraged to support instruction. These systems persist through staff transitions because they’re embedded in how UCS operates.
What UCS Leaders Say About the Partnership
When asked what they value about working with Hendy, UCS leaders consistently mention three things: the thoughtfulness in how feedback is shared, the instructional vision and expertise Hendy brings, and the way Hendy pushes them to be better while remaining genuinely supportive.
WHY THIS PARTNERSHIP WORKS: THE CONDITIONS FOR SUCCESS
Hendy’s relationship with UCS feels like a true partnership. We celebrate their victories and share their struggles. The work is challenging but joyful, and our relationship is built on trust, mutual respect, and a shared vision for what could be.
The result is a school that is sustaining and continuing improving their instructional systems independently – proof that investing in capacity building, not just quick fixes, creates lasting change for students.
Professional Development That Actually Sticks: Research-Based Strategies from the Field
By Hendy Avenue Consulting
We’ve all been there: sitting through professional development that felt inspiring in the moment but completely forgotten by Monday morning. The binder sits on a shelf. The handouts get recycled. And teacher or leadership practice remains unchanged.
This isn’t just frustrating—it’s a significant investment of time and resources that yields minimal return. So what’s the problem? And more importantly, what actually works?
After years of designing and facilitating professional learning for leaders and educators across the country, our team at Hendy Avenue Consulting has identified several key strategies that make the difference between PD that fades and PD that transforms practice.
The Science of Adult Learning
Before diving into strategies, it’s essential to understand how adults learn. Malcolm Knowles’ theory of andragogy identifies several key principles:
- Adults are self-directed and relevancy-oriented. They want to understand why they’re learning something and how it connects to their immediate work. Top-down mandates without clear rationale breed resistance.
- Adults bring experience to learning. Effective PD acknowledges and builds on educators’ existing expertise rather than ignoring it.
- Adults are problem-solvers. They’re motivated to learn when they see it as a solution to real challenges they’re facing.
Additionally, cognitive science tells us that learning requires active processing, not passive reception. Research suggests adults retain only 5% of what they hear in a lecture, but 75% of what they practice and 90% of what they teach to others.
Seven Strategies for Effective PD
Strategy #1: Structure the Flow from “Why” to “How”
The Strategy: Build your PD narrative in a logical sequence that mirrors how adults process information.
Start with Why: Connect the topic to core principles or challenges educators face. Research shows that starting with purpose creates buy-in and meaning-making.
Move to What: Clearly define key concepts.
End with How: Provide actionable, concrete strategies for implementation. Adults need to see the bridge from theory to their classroom.
Why It Works: This structure aligns with how our brains naturally process information—from abstract to concrete, from conceptual to applied. It honors adult learners’ need for autonomy and relevance by establishing purpose before diving into tactics.
Strategy #2: Translate Theory to Practice with “Look-Fors”
The Strategy: For any standard, theory, or principle you introduce, provide specific, observable examples of what it looks like in practice.
If you’re teaching about student-centered instruction, don’t just define it—show video of a classroom where students are doing the cognitive heavy lifting. Identify the specific teacher moves and student behaviors that make it student-centered. Create a list of “look-fors” that educators can use to recognize quality practice.
Why It Works: Abstract concepts rarely translate to changed practice without concrete examples. The more specific and contextualized the examples, the more likely educators are to successfully implement. Brain science tells us we learn through pattern recognition—showing multiple examples of what something “looks like” helps educators recognize and replicate those patterns in their own practice.
Strategy #3: Use the OARRs Structure for Purposeful Design
The Strategy: Structure every PD session using OARRs:
- Objectives: What will participants know or be able to do?
- Agenda: What’s the sequence of activities?
- Roles: Who’s responsible for what?
- Rules: What norms guide our work?
If an activity doesn’t serve the objective, cut it.
Why It Works: Clear objectives align with adult learning theory’s emphasis on purposeful, goal-oriented learning. When participants see the connection from activity to objective, they understand why they’re engaging in each task, which increases motivation and retention.
Strategy #5: Include Work Time and Practice in the Session
The Strategy: Give educators time in the session to practice new skills or plan for implementation. Don’t send them away with good intentions but no concrete plan.
This might mean:
- Practicing a new discussion protocol
- Planning next week’s lesson using a new framework
- Creating a tool or resource they’ll use immediately
- Rehearsing a challenging instructional move
Why It Works: When educators leave PD with something they’ve already created or practiced, the barrier to implementation drops significantly. Research on implementation science shows that the gap between learning and doing is where most initiatives fail—work time closes that gap.
Strategy #6: Set a Vision of Excellence
The Strategy: Show, don’t just tell. Use video, live modeling, or high-quality examples so everyone can agree on what “it” looks like.
Show video of excellent execution. Share examples of student work at different performance levels. Create shared understanding through shared observation.
Why It Works: Without concrete examples, people develop wildly different interpretations of the same standard. Video and models create shared understanding of quality. People learn powerfully through observation—seeing expert performance helps educators develop mental models of success.
Strategy #7: Create Space for Contextual Application
The Strategy: After establishing a vision of excellence, ask educators to apply it to their specific context:
- “What will you steal?” (implement exactly as shown)
- “What will you adapt?” (modify for your context)
- “What questions does this raise?”
Give educators permission to make the practice their own.
Why It Works: Adults bring diverse experiences and contexts to learning. One-size-fits-all approaches ignore this reality. Educators are more likely to implement new practices when they have autonomy to adapt them thoughtfully. Contextual application also engages higher-order thinking—educators analyze, evaluate, and create rather than just receiving information.
Bringing It All Together: The Arc of Effective PD
When you combine these strategies, effective PD follows a clear arc:
- Establish Purpose (Why): Connect to educators’ real challenges and core values
- Build Understanding (What): Define concepts clearly with concrete examples
- Show Excellence: Model or view high-quality examples together
- Provide Tools (How): Give actionable strategies and resources
- Practice and Plan: Build work time into the session
- Apply to Context: Support educators in adapting to their specific situations
- Set Next Steps: Create accountability and follow-up structures
This arc honors how adults learn while maximizing the likelihood that new learning translates to changed practice.
The Bottom Line
By grounding PD design in tried-and-true best practices rooted in adult learning theory, we can create professional learning experiences that don’t just inspire in the moment—they transform practice for the long term.
CAO Cohort Alumni Spotlight: A Conversation with Efrat Kussell, CAO of Explore Schools of Brooklyn
The Chief Academic Officer role comes with unique challenges—balancing strategic vision with day-to-day execution, developing others while managing your own workload, and often feeling isolated in a position where few truly understand the complexity of the work. That’s exactly why Hendy Avenue Consulting created the CAO Cohort: to bring academic leaders together in a community of practice where they can learn from trusted colleagues facing similar challenges.
Hendy sat down with Efrat Kussell, Chief Academic Officer at Explore Schools of Brooklyn, to talk about her experience in the cohort and how it’s shaped her leadership. Efrat’s insights offer a candid look at what makes this professional learning community so valuable—and what prospective participants might miss if they don’t join.
Hendy: Let’s dive into your cohort experience. What was the most unexpected benefit you gained from participating?
The individual coaching and its relationship with the work we did in the cohort sessions were really well dovetailed. I was able to take the learning from the cohort sessions and apply it to our bigger picture organizational thinking during personalized coaching…I was even able to bring my drafted work back to the whole group for feedback and presentation practice.
Additionally, I was able to look at the models of strategic planning from our sessions and think, “That’s cool, that’s interesting—I want to use that,” or “That’s something I could save for future initiatives.” That integration was really powerful.
Hendy: That interplay between individual coaching and group learning sounds really valuable. What’s one strategy, resource, or approach you learned in the cohort that you’re still using today?
Time management, definitely. We did a great module on how CAOs spend their time. Coming into the work of a CAO assumes that you’re really good at managing your calendar—and you have to be because the job has so many technical and systematic elements. You also need to get on the ground, interact with people, present in various contexts… there’s so much personal time management that goes into it.
The cohort gave me exposure to multiple options for how to structure time use. It added structure and helped me ensure that I am always spending my time in service of developing others. Before, I was probably pretty good at making sure everything I did took care of the things that everyone needed, but I wasn’t as intentional around making sure the way I was spending my time was also in service of developing other people. That learning resonated.
Hendy: Is there anything else from the cohort that’s stuck with you?
Yes—messaging. Messaging and re-messaging the same ideas using clarity and simplicity. That’s really taken hold, currently, in the design of training. Our summer trainings were more effective this year because we spent a ton of time on: how is our staff hearing the message? How can we message priorities with clarity and consistency? And does our messaging uplift our organizational values and hallmarks? As a result, our main priorities and our main tactics for achieving those priorities were better woven throughout and connected to the fabric of who we are as an organization
I also think about this in terms of feedback I have gotten around the level of information I share with various stakeholders. As a CAO, one of my responsibilities is to be able to speak the headlines while also keeping track of all the details. Depending on the audience, I need to provide just the right level of detail to tell a compelling story or make a convincing argument. The CAO cohort helped me be more intentional around how to deliver headlines while bringing an audience along with the right details.
Hendy: If you were talking to a CAO who was on the fence about joining, what would you tell them about what they’d be missing if they didn’t participate?
For the time commitment and the cost, it really works. I know when you’re signing up for a year-long commitment on top of your year-long commitment to improving student outcomes, you’re thinking, “How much will this take out of me and is it going to be worth it?”
I feel like it was totally worth it! I came away with several enduring understandings that I can now transfer over to essentially all the work I do—that’s one thing.
I’d also say that Erica and Jon were very skilled facilitators and worked well together. They created a community of practice online very impressively, considering that we didn’t meet each other in person—so shout out to them!
Last but not least, the coaching was, as I mentioned, truly great. It was very unexpected. When I joined the cohort, I knew there were going to be these sessions and we’d be going every month, but I didn’t realize how helpful the coaching would be. The differentiated work products we were sharing afterwards—that was excellent.
Hendy: It sounds like the combination of group learning, individual coaching, and peer feedback created something really powerful.
Absolutely. It’s rare to find a professional learning experience that delivers on all those levels.
Thank you, Efrat, for sharing about your experience in the cohort! We look forward to staying connection and hearing about the great work you’re supporting at Explore Schools!
Ready to join a community of practice that will transform your leadership? Applications for the 2026-27 CAO Cohort will open soon. Connect with Hendy Avenue Consulting by emailing Rachel Modica-Russell (rachelmodicarussell@hendyavenue.com) to learn more and be notified when applications launch.
Interview with Hendy’s Own Erica Murphy: CAO Cohort Facilitator
As we launch another year of our Chief Academic Officer Cohort, we sat down with Hendy consultant and CAO Cohort facilitator Erica Murphy to discuss what makes this professional learning community so impactful for senior academic leaders. Erica brings deep expertise in curriculum, instruction, and leadership development, having previously served as Chief of Curriculum and Instruction at Ascend Public Charter Schools. Her thoughtful approach to facilitation creates the kind of authentic learning environment where CAOs can tackle their biggest challenges alongside trusted colleagues.
Let’s start with the big picture—from your perspective, why is the CAO cohort such a valuable learning community for senior leaders?
The CAO position can be lonely. The opportunity to be in community with other leaders who “get it” and who are facing the same challenges and often doing the same work is invaluable. There’s something powerful about sitting in a room with people who understand the unique pressures and complexities of your role.
That resonates so much. Speaking of what happens in those rooms, what is the session you love most to facilitate, and why?
Strategic planning best processes in January! It’s so important to have good processes and systems to set strategic initiatives in a way that brings people into the process, creates buy-in, and creates clarity for the organization. And starting in January sets people up for success—it’s that perfect timing where you can really think intentionally about the year ahead.
I love that timing aspect. Now, we incorporated coaching into the experience last year—what impact did this have on your approach to facilitation?
It was so helpful to have one-on-one time with individual CAOs to hear how they were thinking about incorporating the strategies and resources from sessions into their own context. Knowing exactly what they were gravitating towards and struggling with helped me plan the whole group sessions in a way that really met their needs. It created this beautiful feedback loop between the individual coaching and our collective learning.
That individualized approach is so valuable. Let me shift gears a bit—can you tell me about the biggest leadership lesson you learned while in the Chief Curriculum and Instruction role at Ascend?
There are any number of good decisions you can make at any different decision point—there is never one right, perfect decision. The important thing is to: one, gather information and stakeholder input; two, consider options; and three, make a decision that you can communicate with compelling rationale. It may be wrong, and that’s okay—you’ll learn from it. But being paralyzed because you want to make the perfect next move doesn’t work, and indecision creates lack of clarity and frustration.
That’s such practical wisdom, especially for leaders who often feel the weight of every decision. As we wrap up, what’s one piece of advice you have for folks in CAO-esque roles?
Get in schools. Get in classrooms. Talk to principals, deans, students. It can be easy to get caught up in the network work, the politics, the paperwork, and so on. But the work is the teaching and learning. What is happening between teachers and students, and is it meaningful? Rigorous? Aligned to goals? Supportive and differentiated for all students? Academically engaging? That’s the most important work.
Perfect advice to end on. Thanks, Erica, for sharing your insights and for the incredible work you do with our cohort members!
Interested in learning more about the Chief Academic Officer Cohort? Reach out to Rachel Modica-Russell (email: rachelmodicarussell@hendyavenue.com) to explore how this professional learning community might support the academic leaders in your network.
Erica Murphy Celebrates 5 Years with Hendy Avenue Consulting!
In August, the Hendy team celebrated Erica Murphy for her 5 years of service to our team and the clients we serve. We think Erica is the best, but don’t take our word for it – here’s what a few partners had to share with Erica:
Thank you for everything you have done to support me as an educational coach and leader over the past few years. Your guidance, wisdom and steady encouragement have made a lasting impact on me, and I’m truly grateful to have you as a mentor. (School Leader)
From your work with the team at our network alone, you have impacted over 350 staff and over 1,600 students across two states. That is just with one organization. I can only begin to imagine the ripples that your stone has left on the education landscape and I am thankful to have had the opportunity to learn from and alongside you. (Network leader)
One of your true gifts is the way you see people not just in the surface level sense, but in the way you deeply listen, honor their experiences, and reflect back their strengths with clarity and care. You have a rare ability to name the unspoken, articulate the complex, and always lead with both wisdom and heart. (CAO cohort participant)
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. THANK YOU Erica for all that you do for our team, our partners, and the kids they serve. You truly make a difference!
Announcing an Exciting Leadership Transition at Hendy Avenue Consulting!
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
We have exciting news to share: Sarah is passing the baton and the wonderful Jessica Wilson has been named the new President of Hendy Avenue Consulting!
Jessica Wilson has been a cornerstone of the Hendy Avenue Consulting team since 2017, bringing unparalleled expertise, dedication, and vision to our work. Jess is an experienced consultant, school district leader, school board member, and all around warrior for kids. Her leadership has been instrumental in driving our mission forward, and I am confident that she will guide Hendy to even greater heights. Jess has the full support of the entire Hendy team and is looking forward to working with them to continue to improve our client support and grow our impact.
I am extremely proud of the Hendy team and the work we’ve done together over the past 12 years. We’ve grown from me and my laptop, a long contact list and some big ideas, to a thriving organization with an unparalleled team of education consultants and coaches. Together, we’ve served more than 40 school systems and facilitated multiple cohorts for more than 50 district and charter leaders. We are trusted partners to education leaders across the country, supporting schools and districts with their talent and academic strategies, people development, leadership transitions, curriculum changes, and initiative implementation. We have accomplished this all within the tumultuous time of the last decade including a global pandemic, racial equity movements, the introduction of AI, political divides, culture wars, and so much more. We’ve gained long-time partners and friends in this work as we’ve provided a unique level of arm-in-arm support to school and district leaders.
I’m particularly proud of not just what we’ve accomplished, but how we’ve approached it. For Hendy, the bottom-line has always been about improving educational opportunities for kids by supporting the teachers and leaders they depend on. We approach our work with curiosity, integrity, kindness, and commitment, resulting in strong relationships and multi-year engagements with our partners. We’ve also created a work environment where experts in their field can make a difference while maintaining autonomy and flexibility to meet the needs of their personal lives. And we have a great time doing it.
Thank you so much to the very best team I could ever hope for. Jess, Jeremy, Erica, Rachel, and Grant. I admire and adore each of you and cannot thank you enough for the magic you’ve each brought to the Hendy team.
Looking ahead, I will continue as an Executive Advisor to Hendy, supporting the team’s continued success, cultivating opportunities, investigating challenges and solutions in the field, and exploring new ways to impact our collective mission of educational opportunity for underserved children. The challenges we face at this moment are extraordinary and I look forward to finding new ways to contribute to more equitable and opportunity-filled lives for all.
It has been an honor to partner with so many of you to improve educational opportunities for students and empower leaders to create lasting change. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to all of you who have supported Hendy Avenue Consulting, and me personally, throughout this journey. Your partnership and trust have been invaluable, and I look forward to supporting the continued success of Hendy Avenue Consulting under Jess’s capable leadership.
Please join me in congratulating Jess on her well-deserved new role. And please reach out to her directly if the Hendy team can support you in the upcoming school year: jessicawilson@hendyavenue.com.
I am excited for the road ahead and remain deeply committed to the mission and vision of Hendy Avenue Consulting – and to you as our partners and friends.
With gratitude and optimism,
Sarah Rosskamm
Founder, Hendy Avenue Consulting
sarahrosskamm@hendyavenue.com
415-577-2789
The CAO Cohort: Where Vision Meets Action
In education leadership, the role of Chief Academic Officer stands at a critical intersection: where strategic vision meets daily implementation, where data meets human experience, and where individual school success connects to systemic change. Yet too often, CAOs navigate these challenges in isolation.
A Different Kind of Professional Community
The CAO Cohort breaks this isolation by bringing together academic leaders from high-performing charter networks who share an unwavering commitment to educational equity. This isn’t just another professional development program – it’s a carefully curated community where every member brings both expertise to share and a willingness to grow.
What Sets Our Members Apart
Our cohort members share core values that drive their work:
- They embrace the power of partnership, recognizing that collective wisdom surpasses individual insight.
- They maintain the flexibility to adapt their thinking while staying true to their core mission.
- They welcome productive friction, knowing that growth comes from being both challenged and supported.
- They freely share their resources and best practices, lifting all boats in the pursuit of excellence.
Real Impact Through Structured Collaboration
Throughout the year, cohort members engage in:
- Regular data review cycles that inform strategic planning
- Collaborative problem-solving around shared challenges
- Resource exchange that accelerates implementation
- Deep discussions about equity and anti-racist practices
- Strategic planning sessions for systematic improvement
Beyond Professional Development
What truly distinguishes this cohort is its impact beyond individual growth. When CAOs collaborate at this level, their insights and solutions ripple across multiple school networks, potentially impacting thousands of students’ lives.
Join a Community of Change-Makers
The CAO Cohort isn’t just about professional growth – it’s about joining a movement of leaders committed to transforming education through collaboration, equity, and excellence. If you’re ready to both contribute to and learn from a community of visionary academic leaders, we invite you to learn more about joining our next cohort.
Defining and Developing Teaching Excellence: The Hendy Instructional Excellence Rubric
Over the past 12 years, Hendy Avenue Consulting has partnered with numerous school systems to set a vision for excellent teaching, create and pilot instructional rubrics based on this vision, and implement those rubrics to support high-quality teacher coaching and development. These partnerships led to the creation of the Hendy Instructional Excellence Rubric, now freely available under a Creative Commons license on Hendy’s website. Five school systems across the country have already adopted some version of the Hendy Instructional Excellence Rubric. While Hendy tailors each engagement to the specific needs of the school system, Hendy’s close partnership with a large, multi-region charter school network served as the initial catalyst for what is now the Hendy Instructional Excellence Rubric.
The Challenge: The charter school network faced a significant challenge: their four regions were using different rubrics to define and develop excellent teaching. This inconsistency created disparities in how teachers were coached and supported across the network and missed opportunities to use the data to inform network priorities. The network reached out to Hendy to help them lead a project to create, pilot, and implement a unified vision of teaching excellence, aligning teacher development across all regions while maintaining high academic and instructional standards.
Setting the Foundation for Success: Hendy began with careful attention to organizational dynamics and stakeholder buy-in. The charter school network and Hendy established a clear RAPID decision-making framework and identified key stakeholders across departments whose participation would be crucial. This preliminary phase proved essential, establishing both the authority and the limitations within which the team would operate. This also ensured that the rubric development would center on what is most critical for students in classrooms: high-quality teaching and learning.
Creating a Common Vision of Excellence: Hendy convened a diverse subcommittee to lead the project, representing various roles (including talent, curriculum and instruction, and data), schools, tenure levels, and demographic backgrounds. This diverse representation ensured the rubric would be a practical tool for coaching and development. The subcommittee met regularly, engaging in deep discussions about what constitutes excellent teaching facilitated by Hendy team members. The group took a methodical approach to creating the new rubric. They began by discussing what excellent teaching looked like in different contexts and establishing a “blue sky” vision for teacher development. These conversations revealed both the strengths of existing approaches and the opportunities that a unified vision could provide. They conducted a detailed crosswalk of existing frameworks provided by Hendy, identifying the key elements that drove teacher growth across all contexts. This analysis helped the committee work with Hendy to create a rubric that would be both comprehensive and practical for everyday use. The team iterated on the rubric several times, testing different domains and indicators across different classrooms and contexts.
Piloting and Refining the Vision: The pilot phase demonstrated the charter school network’s commitment to thoughtful implementation. Hendy launched the pilot with an orientation webinar, introducing the rubric to the broader community and outlining its purpose, structure, and role in teacher development. This helped build understanding and buy-in. The webinar provided practical guidance for leaders to begin using the rubric while allowing for refinement based on their experiences. Recognizing the unique needs of certain teaching populations, Hendy and the charter team specifically engaged Special Education teachers, fine arts instructors, PE teachers, and preK educators through targeted surveys and focus groups. This ensured their perspectives would shape the final framework. Pilot schools used the rubric in multiple contexts. Leadership teams conducted walkthroughs using the new framework at least 2-3 times that spring, testing its effectiveness in different classroom settings. School leaders also used the framework in coaching conversations with teachers, providing valuable insights. Throughout the pilot, Hendy maintained a strong feedback loop, gathering input through structured surveys and focus groups and used this information to make adjustments. Critically, Hendy and the committee closed the feedback loop by communicating changes back to participants, explicitly connecting their input to specific modifications. Leaders found the rubric helpful in structuring coaching conversations, providing a common language for discussing teaching excellence. They also identified areas where additional guidance was needed, particularly around using the rubric to support different types of teachers and content areas.
Implementation, Training, and Capacity Building: The summer marked the transition to full implementation. In partnership with Hendy, the large, multi-region charter school network invested heavily in developing the capacity of those who would use the rubric. The implementation began with establishing clear systems and structures. Hendy worked with school leaders to determine coaching roles, the frequency of observations and coaching conversations, and how teachers would engage with the rubric. The subsequent training program facilitated by Hendy was comprehensive and sustained, extending through the summer and following school year. It began with foundation training, where coaches learned not just about the rubric’s structure but also how to use it as a tool for development. These interactive sessions included practicing with instructional video analysis and guiding coaching conversations. Quarterly practice-based sessions facilitated by Hendy throughout the school year reinforced learning. Each session followed a thoughtful progression: leaders would study specific indicators, analyze teaching videos, engage in calibration discussions, and practice coaching conversations. The embedded certification process was particularly effective. Rather than a one-time event, it was a supportive process allowing for multiple attempts and providing additional support when needed.
Legacy and Evolution: The Hendy Instructional Excellence Rubric: Hendy’s work on creating and implementing this charter school network’s rubric significantly influenced the development of the Hendy Instructional Excellence Rubric. The Hendy rubric builds upon the successful elements of the charter school network’s process while introducing innovations. Like its predecessor, the Hendy Instructional Excellence Rubric organizes teaching excellence into four domains, each guided by an essential question. It adds “Core Teacher Skills” for each indicator, providing specific, actionable guidance for teacher development. This helps bridge the gap between identifying excellent teaching and developing teachers’ practice. The Hendy rubric also refines the approach to measuring impact, maintaining the charter school network’s focus on student outcomes while creating clearer developmental progressions. This helps teachers and coaches identify specific next steps for growth.
Want to learn more about the Hendy Instructional Excellence framework? Visit our website or email Jessica Wilson!
Unlocking Excellence in Teaching with the Hendy Instructional Excellence Rubric
At Hendy Avenue Consulting, we believe every child deserves excellent instruction, every day, in every classroom. This foundational belief has guided our work with schools and districts across the country for over a decade. Now, we’re thrilled to share a tool that embodies this commitment: the Instructional Excellence Rubric.
This free, equity-focused tool is designed to provide a clear and actionable vision for teaching and learning. With its detailed structure and emphasis on both teacher actions and student outcomes, the rubric is more than a framework—it’s a roadmap for achieving excellence in classrooms.
At Hendy, we have had the privilege of partnering with school systems across the country as they endeavor to implement observation rubrics that support great coaching and development for teachers, and improved outcomes for students. The Hendy Instructional Excellence Rubric is the product of several engagements over several years. With our partners, we saw the need for a higher quality observation rubric that better met school systems’ needs, and we worked to create this rubric in partnership with teachers and school leaders from across the country. We’ve supported several systems to successfully implement versions of this rubric, and have seen the positive impact it has had on schools. We are excited now to make this rubric available, for free, to everyone for the benefit of schools, teachers, and students.
What Makes the Instructional Excellence Rubric Unique?
The Instructional Excellence Rubric stands apart because it balances rigorous academics with social-emotional learning, ensuring that all aspects of a student’s success are prioritized. It reflects years of experience working directly with teachers, leaders, and schools to define what truly works in classrooms.
Here’s how the rubric is structured:
- Classroom Culture: Focuses on creating a predictable, joyful, and equitable environment that maximizes learning time.
- Lesson Content & Implementation: Emphasizes rigorous, purposeful, and differentiated instruction to meet the needs of all students.
- Student Thinking: Highlights the importance of students doing the thinking, speaking, writing, and creating during lessons.
- Responsiveness to Learning: Centers on using feedback and data to adapt teaching and ensure every student grows and succeeds.
Each domain contains clear indicators of excellence, articulated across four levels of performance. These descriptors help educators identify what success looks like and provide actionable steps for improvement.
How Can the Rubric Help You?
Whether you’re a school leader, instructional coach, or system administrator, the rubric can:
- Provide a shared language for excellence across your school or district.
- Guide teacher coaching and development with clear, equity-focused expectations.
- Support classroom observations that prioritize student outcomes.
It’s a comprehensive tool for anyone committed to improving teaching and learning at scale.
The Power of Training and Support
While the rubric is designed to be intuitive and easy to use, its full potential is unlocked through thoughtful implementation and training. That’s where Hendy Avenue Consulting can help.
We offer tailored training and support packages to ensure schools and systems:
- Norm around expectations: Build consistency in how the rubric is used across classrooms.
- Develop coaching capacity: Equip leaders to use the rubric as a tool for meaningful teacher development.
- Customize for your context: Adapt the rubric to align with the unique needs and goals of your school or district.
Our team has a proven track record of helping educators implement tools like this successfully, driving real change in teaching and learning.
Ready to Get Started?
The Instructional Excellence Rubric is available for free download:
Let us help you bring it to life. Reach out to Jess to schedule a call!
Together, we can ensure every child experiences the excellent instruction they deserve.
Leaders, It’s Okay to Take Off the Cape
Leadership is difficult in good times. In times of crisis, this difficulty grows exponentially. This notion has become even more clear through my work supporting a Chief-level leader through the restructuring of a network of schools. This leader’s plate was full before the COVID crisis hit, and their responsibility and leadership scope has essentially doubled as a result of COVID: becoming responsible for orchestrating the network’s response to the abrupt closure of schools, and most significantly designing and implementing virtual instruction. Daily they are responding to questions and concerns from families, teachers, staff, and principals, and are looked to by staff to both assuage fears and set a concrete vision and plan for next steps.
My client reflected on having to spend all of their time being “on.” Conference call after call, zoom meeting after meeting, this leader has to be the one with all the answers, or the plan to find the answers. Staff call them for advice and support, or to complain about the way other team members are responding. And my client has to be there to listen, console and plan. All day, every day.
Yes, great leaders provide security and vision to their teams to manage through crises, but fulfilling that role is incredibly draining. Last week, my client and I reflected on how nice it is for them to have a chance to “take off the cape” during our check-ins: to not have to have all the answers, to be able to complain about how difficult all of this is, and to express disappointment, fear and anger honestly. I was honored that my client saw our check-in as the time for them to take that guard down and to be able to react to and reflect on how the work was weighing on them. It also provided an opportunity for us to brainstorm ways that we can handle the burden of leadership to meet the needs of staff without burning out.
I also saw this as a reflection of what we at Hendy pride ourselves on: walking arm-in-arm with our clients as they design solutions and create programs to better serve teachers and kids. Sometimes that relationship means gently pushing our clients to do something differently; other times it means accelerating full speed ahead on executing a plan. In these crazy times, it has sometimes meant simply providing a space for our clients to “take off their capes”, to reflect honestly about the difficulties of being a leader in crisis, and to know that leading others requires us to take care of ourselves.
-Jess